IL IL - Maria Ridulph, 7, Sycamore, 3 Dec 1957
- Thread starter anthrobones
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It just came out today that his military records burned in 1973. I do know how he came to Sycamore... He was Born in Belfast. His mom was in the war.. dad either left the family or died.. His Mom met her new American husband in the war. After the war. they settled in Sycamore. Johnny was 7 and his new sister was a baby. There were more children born here in Sycamore later.
I think you'll have to contact the moderator or the person who started the thread, to get the title edited. Thank you for the info on Tessier. Another person from Sycamore told me that Tessier had a habit of doubling up his fists, jabbing them out into the air, turning quickly this way and that. Was he going to get even with Cathi's family for her dad running over him with the taxi? Besides molesting issues, there seems to be anger issues. I noticed Cathi said he had her by the arm telling her he liked her, when Maria left. Was Cathi the intended target? Through his anger, and the urges, was going to take it to a new level from the bushes activity he had with other girls, but she also left and his mind was already made up to take someone and he took Maria? That means he plotted, that is, if he is the one who did it. So he had to have parked nearby.
I was told that when the phone calls began and word of mouth that Maria was missing, people began searching everything in the neighborhood, sheds, yards, everything. The doll would have been found immediately. Is it possible, and I hate to bring in the Cliffe name again, but is it possible that Tessier used the Cliffe garage or basement without their knowledge? Nobody locked everything up back then. I still wonder could they do a blood test on the buildings in that area, even today? What about the house next to the Cliffe house? Have the people who lived in that house on the corner after the Cliffes been contacted? Perhaps they saw something strange afterwards? Like someone returning to the scene of the crime, to the corner? Like Tessier? I understand the Richardsons lived in that house after the Cliffes. Are any of them alive that could be contacted to see if they remember Tessier returning to that yard?
i think the discrepency with the doll might just be a reporting mistake. I walked the area the other day and i could totally picture how the kidnapping could happen. when Cathy left to get her mittens... Johnny gave Maria another piggy back ride... and ran with her the VERY short way to his house where his car was either in the driveway or on the road...Maria was on his back and he just thru her in his car and took off.. Thru her doll out the window, turned the corner and was gone.. I really think it was that simple
as far as searching, yes... after it was truly realized that Maria was taken... Over an hour.. Searching began in earnest and it is said in the old papers and old timers that ive talked to that every single house was searched that night by townsmen going door to door. Im sure the Cliffes house was searched.. Sadly, IMO Maria was dead by the time searching began. Im sure the Tessiers house was searched also.. But Maria was never in the house. She went straight onto the car.
JoeFromLB
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McCullough has waived extradition and agreed to return to Illinois to face murder charges.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-sycamore-cold-case-0721-20110721,0,2056784.story
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-sycamore-cold-case-0721-20110721,0,2056784.story
No. The doll was not there. I had very close family members involved in the search. The doll was not there the first time. It is possible, that in searching just for a little girl and not a doll, that someone threw it from one point to another, not realizing the doll was connected to Maria, but it is very true that the doll was not there and then reappeared. I know that for a fact from people who were there searching. I've known that for a very long time. In fact, it was so obvious about the doll reappearing that the talk by the searchers was that the killer was probably with them during the searches. That I know for a fact. So the newspapers back then were very correct, at least from what I was told years ago.
I am having trouble being convinced that the suspect really did it. I was told he liked to jab his fists out and do boxing/fighting stances, when younger. A "commando" would do that, like in the old comic books. They would physically fight, and they were military. He wanted to join the military. He wanted to be a commando. That's very much like boys of that age. Or at least some of them. Then there's the molestation stories, but recently a man in our area was arrested for serial molestation of many, many victims through the years. Yet, he never killed. It was wrong, I think it's horrible, and I know he caused damage, but my point is, it doesn't make someone a killer. Usually sex killers have in their past a history of physical violence towards others, or history of harming, torturing animals. Or they were the very, very quiet weird ones. Does Tessier have this in his past? Is it possible he was a molester but not a killer? What if there's someone entirely unknown to everyone else at this point who was in Sycamore back then, and like the other theory, passing through? Why won't they do the DNA on Maria's body? Bless her and her family, but what if that killer is still alive, and would still do it again, and the DNA could save some other little girl out there?
And last but not least, I watched the witness on a news interview and although I realize she was there and everyone knows she was there, but I didn't find her credible with the way she answered and talked and everything about it. I realize I'll get blasted for that, but that is my gut instinct. If I were on a jury and listened to her and watched her, the way she was on the news interview, I'd have serious doubts about her actually seeing anything much at all, or that she might have wanted so badly for the killer to be found, that she added what she thought they wanted to hear. Her story changed back then, newspapers pointed itout. I realize she was very young, and that it was very traumatic and I'm sure still is, but what if her story changed back then several times because she really didn't have a lot to say, but was coached? She is no doubt a good person. I know she came from a very good family, as did Maria. I know these things from people who knew all of them. But it's her recounting of it and the maybe it's smugness that comes through, something, just bothers me and I don't find her credible as to her total core of information. Just sayin.....if you're 8 and you say he said he's Johnny...and it was printed everywhere and now you can't change it years later....Maybe she didn't quite hear him that well. I'm sure she saw him. I'm sure she was there. I wasn't convinced by her about everything else. I think it will divide the jury, because I'm just being very honest here, no matter how mad it makes anyone.
And what first name did people know Tessier by? Other than the word "Commando", did he use the name "Johnny?" At any point in his adult life before the kidnapping? Or did he go by John, or just Comando? So many loose ends in this. I really hope you get the right killer. Wonder why he's waiving extradition? Interesting. If he turns out to be not guilty, and have all the proof that he's not, then will the search continue for the real killer? I hope so. Or what if he is the real killer and wants to go ahead and do the right thing, if he did it, and plead guilty. That would be a very rare moment in crime history.
Quad, I believe you are right, that Maria was dead before the searching began. Have they brought in one of the FBI crime profilers lately to this case? One that can tell so many things about how the victim was left, and etc.? She was such a beautiful child in those photos. God bless you, Maria. You are in my prayers, along with prayers for your family.